Andrew Schwab
Founder and CEO
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Platform Government Strategies is a strategic government health policy, advocacy and messaging firm built to “platform” healthcare organizations inside our national health policy debate. Andrew’s deep experience includes having spent the past two decades in and around national health policy and politics, first as a staffer in the United States Senate and New Jersey Legislature, and then as a Washington, DC government affairs leader at trade and member associations, nonprofits and public companies.
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Andrew began his career as Deputy Press Secretary to U.S. Senator Jon Corzine (D-NJ) where he worked on public affairs implementation of the Medicare Part D drug benefit. As he continued his public service, for seven years, Andrew was Chief of Staff to the New Jersey Legislature’s Chairman of the Financial Institutions & Insurance Committee, passing 23 laws and guiding efforts during the 2008 financial crisis, state implementation of the Affordable Care Act and what became first-in-the-nation leadership on surprise billing legislation. In 2013, Andrew was recruited to lead federal advocacy at AARP in the areas of Medicare Advantage, Medigap, employer insurance and the ACA. He then moved on to heading federal government affairs at the Alliance of Community Health Plans where he served during 2017’s ACA repeal and replace debate. During COVID-19, Andrew was Director of Policy, Federal Affairs & Partnerships at United States of Care, a nonprofit established by former Obama and Biden Administration official Andy Slavitt. Immediately prior to establishing his own firm, Andrew built the first government affairs function at Oak Street Health where he led efforts to preserve the ACO REACH program from termination, establish the Health Equity Index Reward Factor in Medicare Advantage, and led the department’s transition after the $10.6 billion acquisition by CVS Health.
Andrew holds dual undergraduate degrees in Policy Studies and History from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and a Masters of Public Administration from Rutgers University.
Experience Matters.
Andrew’s impressive resume highlights deep professional experience across the private, non-profit, and government sectors. His full-circle understanding of health policy distinguishes him among his peers.
This unique perspective informs his approach to understanding client organizations, mentoring government affairs teams, and developing highly effective strategies.
2021-2023: VICE PRESIDENT & HEAD OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AT OAK STREET HEALTH
- Establish the first government affairs function at a newly public company culminating in a $10.6 billion acquisition by CVS Health
- Take a leadership role in improving and then preserving the CMMI ACO REACH Model
- Help establish the first Health Equity Index Reward Factor in Medicare Advantage
- Create a more favorable policy environment for value-based care and position the company in partnership with CMS to reach the agency’s goal of having 100% of Medicare beneficiaries in an accountable relationship by 2030
2019-2021: DIRECTOR OF POLICY, FEDERAL AFFAIRS & PARTNERSHIPS AT UNITED STATES OF CARE
- Serve as a member of the strategy and leadership team to develop and implement a federal policy agenda while also establishing the necessary relationships and partnerships to move policy through Washington
- Develop, highlight and move to prominence private and not-for-profit sector healthcare innovations and position them in front of CMMI
2016-2019: CHIEF OF ADVOCACY AT THE ALLIANCE OF COMMUNITY HEALTH PLANS
- Achieve a 10 year reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), preserve federal financing of Medicaid, achieve reimbursement for telehealth services in Medicare Advantage (MA) for the first time
- Secure congressional witness testimony opportunities and prepare executives for appearances in front of congressional committees
2013-2016: SENIOR LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVE AT AARP
- Lead federal advocacy in the areas of Medicare Advantage, Medicare supplemental insurance, The Affordable Care Act and Employer Coverage
- Wins comprise inclusion of several Medicare Advantage policy proposals in the Senate Finance Committee Working Group on Chronic Care including what became C-SNPs and preservation of first dollar coverage in Medicare supplemental insurance during passage of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA)
2005-2013: CHIEF OF STAFF TO NJ ASSEMBLYMAN GARY SCHAER, CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND INSURANCE COMMITTEE
- Lead nationally significant effort on surprise billing ten years prior to federal legislation
- Pass 23 bills into law, played a part in developing seven state budgets at $30 billion each
2003-2005: DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY TO U.S. SENATOR JON CORZINE (D-NJ)
- Lead advance press operation at 2004 Democratic National Convention for Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
- Maintain relationships with local, state and national print, television and radio reporters as well as bloggers and activists
EDUCATION:
Andrew holds bachelor’s degrees in Policy Studies and History from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs and a Masters of Public Administration from Rutgers University.